No abstract

Studies of the effects of climate change on migratory bird behavior have established that many species are shifting the average day of year of their arrival at nesting sites earlier. If migrating birds are adapted to arrive at the optimum stage in the growth season to maximize the availability of resources, then migration phenology shifts may result in arrival at nesting sites at selectively disadvantageous points in seasonal development of the nesting ecosystem. First arrival dates (FAD) are changing for many species, but we know little about shifts in the corresponding accumulated growing degree units (AGDU) of arrival date in association with increasing global temperatures. By transcribing field notes for migrant arrival times during the years of 1910-1950 in the region around Fargo, ND, we obtained a detailed and robust description of historical phenological patterns. Comparison of the arrival times of 83 of the same species in the same location over the past 10 years indicate that the majority of bird species studied are arriving earlier than they did historically. The accumulated growing degree units at the time of arrival deviated from past values by as much as 4-5% higher or lower depending on the species. In general, short-distance migrants have advanced their arrival times and reduced the AGDU at the time of arrival relative to long-distance migrants. These results indicate that changing climate is influencing bird migration patterns and leading to arrival of migrants at different points in the progress of the growing season relative to the past. The impacts of this divergence on fitness and selection are expected to influence the nature of future bird communities.

Forest canopies are sites for mercury (Hg) deposition, and forests can act as Hg sources to downstream aquatic environments. This study examined soil total Hg (THg), carbon (C), and nitrogen (N) to 15 cm in 10 seasonal pond basins in a northern hardwood forest in Minnesota. Pools (mass per area) and concentrations (mass per soil mass) of THg to 15 cm were lower in uplands than in ponds, indicating downslope transport. In uplands, THg concentrations were the same at 0‐ to 2‐cm and 2‐ to 5‐cm depths and then decreased, whereas THg density (mass per volume) peaked at 2 to 5 cm, highlighting the importance of bulk density on mass. Carbon and N trends were similar to THg. Apart from pond centers, strong positive relationships between THg and C were observed. Upland slope length, graminoid cover, basin area, and tree height accounted for over half of THg variance at pond edge. Understanding the distribution, trends, and contributing factors of soil THg can further efforts toward immobilization and sequestration, thus minimizing the potential for bioaccumulation. Core Ideas THg uniform among basins in uplands with pond centers variable by substrate. THg greatest at pond center and uniform among upland landscape positions. Positive THg relationships with C and N, except organic pond centers. Upland THg concentration peaked at 0 to 5 cm, with mass peaking at 2 to 5 cm. Fifty‐six percent of THg pool was explained by slope length, graminoid cover, basin area, and tree height.